PATRIOTIC FUND.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15339, 24 July 1915, Page 4

PATRIOTIC FUND.

« CONFERENCE OF.LOCAL BODIES. EFFORT TO BE MADE TO AIT.MKXT FUND. i ! A conioreuce ot representatives ol ] local Vtodies was held at the City Coiuij oil Cliambers yesterday to consider the I future of the Patriotic Fund. Present: j —Messrs Geo. Scott (Heathcote '.County). .T. J. Graham (Woolston). .1. | F. Buchanan, and T. Quealv (AVni- | rewa"). AY. Radcliffe and L. A. Strin<_er ; fl.ytteiton), AT. H. AVitisor and JJ. H- ; Taylor (Spreydon), IJ. A. Knight (Alal- | \ern). .1. Cunnin«:hani (Ellesmere), G. ! Maj-iiiness (Paparua), I), hawke (Oxj ford I, 11. Eaylesomo (Halswell County), | F. llorrell (Rangiora County), E. G. i Philpott and J. ]}. *' AVilkml Mi-t (Ashley County). I), t". Sul- '■ livan (City Council), .1. A. Fleshcr (New ]"r::_htoi'), J. J. and Cyrus William* (Patriotic Fund Committee). J. T. Brown (Ricearton), C. 1. Jenuin-j-s (llaiigiora), T. .Sleven-ion (Cheviot). I*. (■'albraith (Ashburton). J. Wilson (Ashley), and A. I). Ford (Ricearton). The Mayor of Christchurch prosided. The Mayor said the/conference was called as the outcome of requests from a North Canterbury conference, and f'oiu the Patriotic Committee. Mr Holland outlined the history of the Patriotic Fund. He said the committee was whole-hearted and sympathetic in its desire - * to relieve all hardship caused by men going to the war. and at present 17_ cases were being assisted. It was hoped to make the fund a genuine Canterbury affair, hut Timaru had decided to stand out. Tiie whole bushes of the coininitte had gone on most smootV ly. and no fund was deserving of more support- than the Patriotic Fund. The scale of pay allowed v*as as large as the funds would permit and was fairly generous. Money was coming in very slowly now. and it was proposed to hold a River Carnival and a Harvest Festival to help the funds. The committee considered thai. £100.000 would b 0 required to establish the fund properly, for it would have to be in existence for many years to come. Mr F. Horrel] (Rangiora County) said the North Canterbury Conference was convened as the outcome of a roOiiest forwarded from (he Belgium Committee, and it was decided to endeavour io adopt a general scheme concerning contributions to the war funds. Rej ''aiding the Belgium Fund, it was thought that all local bodies affected should take some united action. He I understood that the prime object of the i Patriotic'Caniniitleo was to assist the j dependents, of those who had j gone to the war. lie thought I the committee were departing from that object by looking after the sick and woundtxl "who had returned. The pensions scheme propounded by the Government was a fairly liberal 7ie. Was the Patriotic Committee ! .soing to assist men who returned un- ■ hurt, but penniless, and in difficulties? i The Mayor: Yes. i Air Hon ell, continuing, said the sick nnd wounded were already being attended to by the Government, but the other class he had mentioned seemed .to have no one looking alter them. Tho "Government sclieniu regardh_ the "Belgium Fund was ail very well, but,it, all fell again on the man who was willing to give. It wa;s the same i. with tlio Patriotic Fund. Thero were too many people waiting for the war Mx. It'iuight be doubted whether as much.;, as £ 100,000 would,- be ; required • tlie Patriotic Committee. Four .omen applied for charitable aid relief th,-. previous day. and they ai| said their sons oil whom they relied t° r support had gone to the war. It might be advisable for an officer fronv the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to work in conjunction with the coni--mittee. The real object of the <onference, it seemed to him. was to decide whether voluntary contributions should continue, or whether a war tax should be imposed. The chairman aaid the object in assisting dependents: was to enable married men to enlist. Air .J. J. Dougnll said the main object of tlie Conference was to fret an opinion on the --ucstion of making a united effort throughout Canterbury to augment the Patriotic Fund. _ Tho Patriotic Committee had stood aside for a time to enable the Belgium Committee to achieve its object, but now, the time had arrived when the claims of the. Patriotic Fund should be further pressed. Preparation should be made for a long strngele, as a result of which many neople in N«ew Zealand would be *-'-*-*ed in distressed circumstances. Even with the Government pensions, ho did not think many returned soldiers would be in auvthing like, a_ good a position as they wero before the war. The men who would require continued medical attention would derive little benefit from 3-">s a week. I.t v should not be necessary for the men to rely on the free, accomrnod-ition at the Hospital. There was considerable difference of opinion as to the propriety of pooling all tho Patriotic Funds throughout New Zealand. Personally he. considered that al[ the funds should be administered provincially. Westland had contributed ' the highest percentage tributed the highest percentage of men for the front of any province in New Zealand, but the district was net a wealthy one, and the Patriotic Fund was small. He considered that AVestland might be attached to Canterbury. He hoped tho conn try districts would assist the fund. After nil. £100,000 should not bo beyond tho means of a district liko Canterbury. Al r Geo. Scott said he did not think the time would be opportune for the raising of a large sum of money like £100,000. The wants of those requiring relief might bo met by-the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, but the husiness should lie administered not in the ordinary way by tlie Board, but by a special committee consisting Of it-piTsentatives -d' tlie Patriotic Committee and the Board. Failing that method some better system \vn- required for getting at the poop!»* who could afford to help. The various io.-u; bodies in Canterbury should undertake the work of commiinicatm-- with every resident in their di-tiicts. and get of support. It was necessary to get at the genera! public, and not- only at those who had shown tucir willingness; to .five. The Muvoj- said that out of ihe £100.000 required £2.**,000 v, as in hand. He believed that the result of 'no general conference at Wellington wo-ild be to put the provincial funds on a settled footing. Mr Stevenson (Cheviot) said the Government should do the collecting, and not the local bodies. All- Graham (AA'oolston) said it ''"as the duty of the central government to get at the big men iv the town and country who refused to help. All- Cyrus AA'illiam? said the Pa"triotic Committee had no legislative powers. They intended to continue their work, and felt sure the country people would help them. A card and circular were being sent to every householder in Canterbury appealing for regular help. It was abo intended to inaugurate country campaigns, and to cause local committees to be formed. The committee was quite aware of ail tho difficulties that had been mentioned, and he hoped that members of the Conference would not "stress those difficulties, which only led to diwooragement. Mr Horrel! said the oublie wanted

to know more clearly what tho aims n'ifi objects of the- Fun_ wore. Mr Williams said that every person in Canterbury "would receive tliat information. -Mr Scott's suggestion regardin_ the Charitable Aid Board he took to mean that tho Charitable Aid Board would bo glad to give tho help of their organisation if such were, *-equired. He- would nominate tho chairman of tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board as a member of the Patriotic Committee. Air 11. A. Knight said that his district wii* doing all that could ho done to raise funds." He doubted whether any further good could be done by the method-, proposed. Mr IX G. Sullivan raovod:—"That this conference of local liodios in North Canterbury urges on the Government to make a moro liberal nrovision .or wounded soldiers and their dependents, and further, would urge on local bodies to five all the assistance -possible to the Patriotic Fund by 00-oDorating .vlth it -is the one most worthy of public .*-u->uort. M .... .Mr Fle-ber moved the following:— •'This conference of rep resonta,tivo s of local'bodies in tli-** North Canterbury distiict pledges it-?el.f to do all iv its power to n*--.ist in aii"ni«nting the Canferhurv Patriotic Fund." Mr Flcshev snwi that- ii' '■ w a-s considered the 4 "--3 OIK) was sufficient, then the eonimitt-*-' v.'nild go on ad?iii»!Lsten"mr that, until it wa> when sonicthin_ further would have to be done. Tbe Mayor -.aid tlie Government, in frnmiii-r the !ieiisioii> wliopv* had taken into consideration the Patriotic fu-'ds. . Mr Wilkin.son our-uircd how the £100.000 was arrived at. UoiTell said the country people wanted t/> know- exactly what tho *->b-jti-.t,- «f the Patriotic Fund wem. Mr Cyr«i-: Williams mi id it was impossible to determine accurately what -*sMstawe would be roouiretl. but with +-he ila+- --vnilable it- was that £100.000 woiild he easi'v required. Mr C T. .Temiiuffs (Rat-aiora) uvd lie knew for a fact, thot the Patriotic Fund had never been tnk< b :- seriously in the roun'rr dirtricts, bnt the *a-_p!e wero now bef-inii'iip *--> realise the imjxirta:ieo oi the fund. The -erviees of members of the local Imdie-.s should be soured to help th- fund in the count'-y district. The michiueiy fov cavryinv on the c-;r"!>;i : ">i nlro'iv f »xi<ited *>i the d'strict. Mr AY. P-uk-lifl'.. (Lyttelton"! advocated the poolim- of natriotie funds, in order that all recipients miyht bsrneut c()-o'-ilh-. Tli « Mayor said f'e time _i-'tl *ome when f'e chi"ix- of f be Patriotic Fund should b-» pu-died. He felf: sure that a* the Tesult of the ''O'derenee the count.i-%* districts would do their share iv helo-insr th--*- fund. M.r Fl'-sher's niotiou war* then put an'l ea-ried. MY then tuovp-i!: "That this conference rcomuiends +hr> executive. to b? ino-ens?d by the addition of representatives of local bodies in North C'"<i-orbuiy.*' Th!.-- v.-.-s seconded by Mr Cyrus AVilliauis ami carried. A vole of th-inks was ac-conled to-jjthe Mayor bei'oie the meeting closed.